Waitrose has announced a major change set for June as the supermarket aims to bridge a gap of 1 million shoppers by targeting a younger demographic. Traditionally attracting older and wealthier customers, the upmarket retailer is now focusing on engaging younger audiences through digital content.
New YouTube Series Launching in June
In mid-June, Waitrose will debut a new weekly series designed to help customers become "more confident and creative cooks." Each episode will center on a hero ingredient, featuring Waitrose chefs and food developers who share flavor pairings, techniques, and recipe ideas. This move comes as data shows that YouTube overtook the BBC in monthly viewers in December, with 51.9 million viewers compared to the BBC's 50.9 million.
Existing Digital Content Success
Waitrose is already active on YouTube with its series Food Lovers Uncut, a creator-led video series hosted by influencer Will Hughes. The show takes viewers inside the kitchens of food-loving celebrities, with the latest episode featuring rapper and singer Tinie Tempah. Additionally, on June 8, the supermarket announced that its podcast, Dish, had become the world's most successful branded podcast, surpassing one billion combined downloads, views, and listens since launching in 2022. With 165 episodes, Dish is currently the only branded podcast featured in both the Apple and Spotify top 100 charts globally and the only branded podcast in the UK top 20.
Building on Success
Waitrose says it wants to build on this success and plans to continue expanding its food content offering. Nathan Ansell, Waitrose Chief Customer Officer, commented: "Customers are increasingly looking for ideas, inspiration and expertise alongside the products they buy, and helping people discover and enjoy great food has always been at the heart of Waitrose. From our Partners and food experts to our products, magazines and podcasts, customers trust us to inspire and guide them in the kitchen. Our commitment to food storytelling stretches back decades and today we're bringing that expertise to new formats including podcasts and video. We're excited about the next phase of our strategy with more opportunities for customers to engage directly with our food experts and Partners."
